World briefs

Tony Blair
has started an investment firm. The London-based company will do business under the name Tony Blair Associates. While it isn’t authorised to hold client money, is licensed to arrange “deals in investments" including stocks, warrants and debentures. Bloomberg

Growth in Europe’s services and manufacturing industries weakened in August, signalling the pace of the recovery has peaked. A composite index based on a survey of euro-area purchasing managers declined to 56.1 from 56.7 in July, London-based Markit Economics said. Bloomberg

Boeing will compete for the first time to keep its US missile defence work as Lockheed Martin Corp seeks to wrest away an order for as much as $US10 billion ($11.6 billion). Bloomberg

The New Zealand government tightened rules on where and when alcohol can be bought and drunk. The government is proposing splitting the purchase age, leaving it at 18 for drinking in bars, and raising it to 20 for buying alcohol in supermarkets and other outlets. NZPA

The economic package being considered by the Japanese government could surpass the anticipated ¥1.7 trillion ($22.2 billion) if necessary, Democratic Party of Japan policy chief Koichiro Gemba said. Nikkei